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The incident took place in the Peruvian city of Huancayo in the Chilca district where two of the local teams, Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca were playing a football match.
The incident has led to calls for better security measures being taken for sporting events. (Image: Screengrab)
A football player was killed after being struck by lightning during a football match in Peru. It is reported that five others have also been injured due to the incident.
The incident took place in the Peruvian city of Huancayo in the Chilca district where two of the local teams, Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca were playing a football match.
According to a report by The Sun, Jose Huga de la Cruz Meza (39) can be seen in the video footage, falling on the ground after he was struck by lightning. He was declared dead at the hospital.
In addition, the goalkeeper, Juan Chocca Llacta (40) also suffered serious burns after being struck as well. In the video, at least eight players can be seen falling to the ground shortly after the lightning strike.
Bellavista had been leading 2-0 against Chocca with 22 minutes being played. However, the referee had decided that the game be stopped as heavy sounds of thunder came near the stadium.
(This video could be triggering for some readers. Viewer discretion is advised.)
LIGHTNING STRIKES SOCCER MATCH IN PERUJose Hugo de la Cruz Meza, 39, was killed instantly, and 5 players were injured during a regional tournament in Chilca.
Goalkeeper Juan Chocca Llacta, 40, also received a direct strike and was rushed to hospital in a taxi with serious… pic.twitter.com/7zdnwAoc8c
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 4, 2024
Another report by Sportbible said that De La Cruz had been wearing a metal bracelet while playing which may have caused the lightning to strike him.
The incident has led to calls for better security measures being taken for sporting events. This includes high-altitude areas like Huancayo which can experience frequent thunderstorms, during the monsoon season.
In February, earlier this year, an Indonesian footballer suffered a similar fate despite multiple attempts of resuscitation. The man is reportedly identified as Septain Rahaja, a 30-year-old man who is from Subang, Java met with an untimely demise.
25 years ago, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 11 people including both players and members of the audience, lost their lives to the lightning strike as well. In addition to this, another 30 people who were at the game suffered burns.
Despite the incidents not being a regular occurrence, such incidents showcase the issues of playing football under extreme weather conditions and the lack of facilities for the smaller sides to tackle such issues.
